Maple Sap Mead

[vtchuck]

I've been making this for years, using Vermont maple sap from my trees. One batch a year in the spring... usually March when the sap runs. Simply replace the water in a mead recipe with maple sap. Not maple syrup... that stuff is $40 a gallon. I don't taste the sap in the finished product, but I've been told it adds a woody note by others.

I collect 10-12 gallons of sap and boil it down to about 5 gallons, cool and add to the recipe. I guess the boiled down sap is somewhere around 5% sugar.

You can also use maple sap in beer recipes.

 

[Brewing for Brigid]

Definitely curious to try this... Though I don't really have those trees around the coast.
You boil down the sap? Just put it in a pot, turn up the heat and it liquifies? Or add water?
Wondering what other tree asp I could try this with. Thanks!

 

[Shine0n]

Maple sap looks like water not like a pine sap which is sticky as all get out.

You would not add water to it as it's on average 2-3% sugar, I have to boil 40 gal to retrieve 1 gal of syrup.

Best thing to do if you dont have access to the trees is to find a supplier online, I have a co. in W.Va. and I get it for 10 bucks a quart or 30 per gallon.

I got my own taps and buckets and hoses now and enough trees to get my fix of syrup for the year.

If I happen to get more I'll boil down to 1.080 and make a ferment that a way or spend the extra cash and get a gallon.

I believe if you do a sweet ferment, like 1.120 OG and stop at 1.020 you could have a decent drink. I'll find out in march!

 

[Brewing for Brigid]

Wonderful! Thanks so much! I look forward to hearing your results!

 

[Elmo Peach]

I've been making this for years, using Vermont maple sap from my trees. One batch a year in the spring... usually March when the sap runs. Simply replace the water in a mead recipe with maple sap. Not maple syrup... that stuff is $40 a gallon. I don't taste the sap in the finished product, but I've been told it adds a woody note by others.

I collect 10-12 gallons of sap and boil it down to about 5 gallons, cool and add to the recipe. I guess the boiled down sap is somewhere around 5% sugar.

You can also use maple sap in beer recipes.

I made a batch of all grain beer using maple sap I also added a quart of the previous years syrup and a cup of DME it was tasty but rather strong.

 

[bernardsmith]

I made a batch of all grain beer using maple sap I also added a quart of the previous years syrup and a cup of DME it was tasty but rather strong.

Hi Elmo Peach and welcome. The strength of a mead or wine is always dependent on the amount of fermentable sugar that is in the must (the liquid before you pitch the yeast). Best way to make a wine or mead to the strength you are looking for is to know the starting gravity of your must and to increase or decrease it according to your wants. In my opinion, most wines and meads tend to be well-balanced when the starting gravity is around 1.090 - 1.100 (or to hav a potential ABV of about 12- 13%